67 Years of WNC Honors
Community centers and clubs across the NC mountain region voluntarily participate in the annual WNC Honors Awards by submitting application. The 64 communities involved in this year’s program represented a total of 5,375 volunteers with an impressive 158,000 hours in outreach programs dedicated to beautification, conservation, education, health and wellness, as well as collaborative efforts with government, extension, community colleges, nonprofits and businesses, all in service to rural communities. In addition, the collective fundraising efforts of these communities brought in over $635,000 for everything from neighbor helping neighbor to after school programs, senior meal sites, farmland preservation, a tele-medicine clinic, and events highlighting our region’s great art, craft, and music traditions.
Here are the 2016 Honors Awards Winners:
COMMUNITIES OF DISTINCTION
Eastern Band of Cherokee: Big Y
Haywood County: Bethel Rural Community Organization and Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center
COMMUNITIES OF PROMISE
Buncombe County: Leicester Community, Shiloh Community Association, Spring Mountain Community
Cherokee County: Unaka Community
Eastern Band of Cherokee: Big Cove Community
Haywood County: Fine’s Creek Community Association
Henderson County: Upper Hickory Nut Gorge Community
Jackson County: Caney Fork Community
Macon: Holly Springs Community, Otto Community
Madison County: Walnut Community
Mitchell County: Tipton Hill Community Foundation
Rutherford County: Ellenboro Woman’s Club, Whitehouse Community
Transylvania County: Cedar Mountain Community, Lake Toxaway Community
ENGAGED COMMUNITIES
Ashe County: Peak Creek Ruritan
Buncombe County: Avery’s Creek, Sandy Mush
Cherokee County: Bellview, Grape Creek
Clay County: Brasstown
Eastern Band of Cherokee: Towstring, Yellowhill
Henderson County: Crab Creek, Edneyville
Macon: Carson, Clark’s Chapel, Cowee, Upper Cartoogechaye
Madison County: Center, Greater Ivy, Revere Rice Cove, Spring Creek, Upper Laurel
Rutherford County: Gilkey School, Golden Valley, Union Mills
Transylvania County: Balsam Grove
Watauga County: Deep Gap Ruritan, Foscoe Ruritan
PARTICIPATING COMMUNITIES
Buncombe County: Buckeye Cove, Cane Creek, Fairview, Ox Creek, Rosscraggon Wood
Cherokee County: Martin’s Creek, Peachtree
Eastern Band of Cherokee: Snowbird
Haywood County: Beaverdam, North Hominy, Thickety
Henderson County: Mills River, Upward
Jackson County: Glenville, Pumpkintown
Macon County: Nantahala, Pine Grove School
Madison County: Walnut Creek
Polk County: Pea Ridge
Swain County: Whittier
PRESIDENT’S 25th AWARD
Eastern Band of Cherokee: Towstring
Haywood County: Thickety
Henderson County: Mills River
CALICO CAT
Haywood County, Fine’s Creek
CALICO CAT JUNIOR
Macon County, Cowee
THANK YOU to the 67th WNC Honors Awards Sponsors. Their generous contributions made $39,500 in cash awards possible for our communities.
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort
Harrah’s Valley River Casino & Hotel
The McClure Fund
Buncombe County Farm Bureau
